Tomodachi
by Helaine85
Summary: On Trunks' 18th birthday, he's trying to deal with the pressure from his family to always be the best. Can Goten help cheer him up? *Non-yaoi*


Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or it's characters; they belong to the incredible, awe-inspiring Toriyama-sama. ^__^  
  
Tomodachi  
  
   
  
   
  
He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he watched the small river wind down into the deep valley. The wind pulled at long strands of his violet hair, and he reached a hand up to gently brush it away. The horizon was painted with vibrant hues of color as the sun's glow faded behind the steep hills.  
  
   
  
He sat on top of an old wooden bridge, barely wide enough for two men to walk across, letting his legs dangle over the edge and feeling the cold water rushing over his feet. They'd be looking for him soon, he knew, but for once he didn't care. He sighed contentedly as he felt the familiar ki draw closer.  
  
   
  
"At least it's not Tousan," he mumbled in relief.  
  
   
  
"First school, then work, now birthdays. Is there anything you don't skip out on, Trunks-kun?"  
  
   
  
"It's nice to see you too," he grumbled sarcastically as the dark-haired boy sat down next to him.  
  
   
  
"Why'd you leave? You only turn eighteen once, you know," Goten pointed out.  
  
   
  
"I left because this is going to be one of the last chances I'll ever get to just leave everything and everyone behind," he explained.  
  
   
  
"Even me?"  
  
   
  
Trunks was surprised by his question. He hadn't really thought about it. "There's only two more months, Goten."  
  
   
  
His friend blinked, his face taking on the famous Son family "I'm confused" look.  
  
   
  
"Till what?"  
  
  
  
"Till my mom announces me as President of Capsule Corp. In two months, all of this will be gone."  
  
   
  
"No it won't," Goten argued. "We'll still be friends."  
  
   
  
"Yeah, but when your President, who has time for friends?" Trunks asked sharply. "My parents have never cared about what I wanted. I had to be a fighter, but not just a fighter, I had to be the best, live up to Mirai Trunks' name. And I had to be a genius, so one day my mom could force me into becoming President. All my life I always had to be what they wanted."  
  
   
  
"Well, what do you want, Trunks-kun?" he asked. Almost instinctively Goten knew that things were not good. He had never heard any of this before, although he had suspected it. The wall that Trunks always had around his emotions was slowly crumbling, and for the first time in all the years that they had been best friends, Goten began to see the man inside of Trunks' barriers.  
  
   
  
"This. I want this," he said, whispering as if he were speaking to himself.  
  
   
  
Again, Goten was confused by his friend's veiled answer. "Nani?"  
  
   
  
Trunks smiled lightly and waved an arm around him, motioning to the hidden valley nestled between the mountains that lay silent beneath him.  
  
   
  
"I'm going to stay here," he said. Noticing Goten's wide-eyed stare, he continued. "Not forever, baka! Just these next two months. I'm going to build a cabin, and I'm going to live here."  
  
   
  
"Why?"  
  
   
  
"Because I want to. And for the first time in my life I'm going to do something I want to do."  
  
   
  
Goten grinned. "Well, it looks like you might need some help building that cabin."  
  
   
  
Trunks blinked, then he smiled too. "Thank you."  
  
   
  
"For what?"  
  
   
  
"For being the first person to actually care about what I want. And for being there for me."  
  
   
  
Goten threw an arm around his shoulder. "What are friends for? Besides, a city-boy like you wouldn't last a week out here by himself."  
  
   
  
"Oh, so I suppose you're going to take pity on me?" he asked sarcastically, his characteristic smirk back again.  
  
   
  
"Well, being such a nice guy and all…" Goten admitted, trying to look innocent.  
  
   
  
Trunks smacked him. "Yeah right!"  
  
   
  
The stillness and hush of the small valley fell over them, the only sounds those of a bird's rising call and the constant hum of insects.  
  
   
  
"Happy birthday, Trunks."  
  
  
  
   
  
~Owari 


End file.
